Our Gracious God.

“But the LORD was gracious to the people of Israel, and they were not totally destroyed. He pitied them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day he still has not completely destroyed them or banished them from his presence.” ­– 2 Kings 13:23 NLT

If I were God … I know, that’s a dangerous statement to make, let alone finish. But when I read through the history of the kings of Israel and Judah, I can’t help but think what I would have done to the people of God if I had been in God’s place. Extending grace is NOT one of the things that comes to mind. Even when I was a kid I would read some of these stories and think how ridiculous it was that God didn’t wipe these people off the face of the earth for their stupidity and stubbornness. He could have started all over with some other people group. But He didn’t. And as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that these stories are less about the falibility of men, than the faithfulness of God. These brutally hones portrayals of the lives of the kings and their people allow us to see just the kind of God we worship and follow. Over and over again we see their infidelity. And over and over again we see God’s faithfulness – His commitment to keep His promises – in spite of the actions and attitudes of His people. Today’s reading is a perfect case in point.

We read that Jehoahaz, the king of Israel, was just as wicked as the kings who came before him. And it resulted in punishment from the hand of God. “So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and he allowed King Hazael of Aram and his son Ben-hadad to defeat them time after time” (2 Kings 13:3 NLT). But Jehoahaz, unlike most of his predecessors, sought God. ” Then Jehoahaz prayed for the LORD’s help, and the LORD heard his prayer” (2 Kings 13:4 NLT).  God heard and God responded because of His grace and mercy. “The LORD could see how terribly the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. So the LORD raised up a deliverer to rescue the Israelites from the tyranny of the Arameans. Then Israel lived in safety again as they had in former days” (2 Kings 13:4-5 NLT). God sent a deliverer – literally, a savior – to rescue the people. He gave them what they didn’t deserve – which is the basic definition of grace. They deserved punishment, but instead God extended mercy and rescued them from their oppressors. And in spite of God’s grace and mercy, the people continued to turn against Him. His mercy was met with ingratitude and rebellion.

But even in the days of Jehoahaz, as the people continued to reject God, He continued to fulfill His covenant promise that He had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. “But GOD was gracious and showed mercy to them. He stuck with them out of respect for his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He never gave up on them, never even considered discarding them, even to this day” (2 Kings 13:23 MSG). He never gave up on them. And He never gives up on you and me! God keeps His promises. He remains faithful to His commitments. He shows us mercy and grace, when we deserve nothing less than punishment. He continues to extend grace even in the face of our ingratitude. Because that is who He is. He is faithful. He is merciful. He has made a promise to His people and He has and will keep it. God’s faithfulness to His covenant resulted in the arrival of the Messiah. His faithfulness to His promise made possible salvation to all those who would accept it. When Israel and Judah were unfaithful, God was faithful, and we are the beneficiaries of that faithfulness today.

Father, thank You for Your faithfulness. Without it, I would not be here. Without it, I would never have been given eternal life and forgiveness of my sins. You remained faithful so that we might have a chance to experience the faithfulness of Your Son, who died on a cross in our place. Thank You! Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Good Start. Bad Ending.

“All his life Joash did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” ­– 2 Kings 12:2 NLT

Jehoiada the priest had protected Joash for seven years from his scheming grandmother, Athaliah. She had killed all his siblings in order to take over the throne of Judah when her son, King Ahaziah, had died. But Joash had been hidden away in the temple of God until the day he was crowned king by Jehoiada at the age of seven. He would reign for forty years in Judah and as long as his mentor, Jehoiada was live, he accomplished some good things for the kingdom. One of his main projects was the restoration of the temple. It had fallen into disrepair, so he came up with a fund-raising plan to provide the resources to see to its repair and restoration. But somewhere along the way, Jehoiada died. “Jehoiada lived to a very old age, finally dying at 130. He was buried among the kings in the City of David, because he had done so much good in Israel for God and his Temple” (2 Chronicles 24:15-16 NLT). And with his death, things began to change for Joash – and not for the good.

Within no time, Joash’s reign took a turn for the worse. According to 2 Chronicles 24, Joash was easily convinced by his officials to abandon the restoration of the temple. “But after Jehoiada’s death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded the king to listen to their advice. They decided to abandon the Temple of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and they worshiped Asherah poles and idols instead! Then the anger of God burned against Judah and Jerusalem because of their sin” (2 Chronicles 24:17-18 NLT). God sent Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, to rebuke Joash, and his reaction was to have him killed. He was stoned to death at the command of Joash. Suddenly, Joash found himself in a difficult place. He was under attack from King Hazael of Aram. Hazael had recently defeated the northern kingdom of Israel and was headed south along the Mediterranean coast toward Judah. He had already captured Gath and had sent soldiers against Jerusalem. who killed many of the leaders of Judah. But instead of  turning to Yahweh for deliverance, Joash decided to try and buy off Hazael using gold from the renovated temple. But Hazael would later return to Judah and Jerusalem with a small company of men and destroy all the princes of the people and send their spoil to the king of Damascus (2 Chronicles 24:23).

In the midst of all this, Joash was wounded by the Arameans and left Jerusalem to recuperate in a town named Beth Millo. It was while there that several of his officials came up with a plan to assassinate him, all because he had put the high priest Zechariah to death. Joash was buried in Jerusalem but not in the royal tombs – a sign that the people had lost respect for him as their king.

“Once a promising, God-fearing young ruler, Joash died a disappointment. By bribing Hazael with Temple treasures, he tarnished his one great
achievement, the Temple restoration.” – R. L. Hubbard Jr., First and Second Kings

Joash started out well, but ended poorly. All because he turned away from following Yahweh. When his godly mentor died, he began to listen to the advice of the ungodly men around him. Instead of listening to the counsel of Zechariah as a word from God, he had him killed. As a result, God would remove His blessing from the life of Joash, causing his reign to end with death and indignity. He failed to finish well. Our goal, as followers of God, is to finish well. The writer of Hebrews put it this way, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1 ESV). Let us run with endurance. Finish well.

Father, I want to finish well. Give me the strength to run the race ahead of me so that I can finish with a kick. I want to cross the line with a full head of steam, not staggering and stumbling. May my life bring You joy and pleasure right up to the very end. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

A Godly Influence.

“Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.” ­– 2 Kings 11:17 NLT

Salt and light. That is what we have been called to be – providing an influence and making an impact on the society in which we live. As God’s chosen people we exist to influence. We can and should make a difference in our surroundings. We are His ambassadors, His change agents, who are indwelt and empowered by the very Spirit of God. Our presence in this society should be felt. Our lives should be making a difference. Just like Jehoiada did. Jehoiada was the high priest of God living in a time when the worship of God was waning. The people of Judah were worshiping Baal more than they were worshiping God. A line of kings had led them in rebellion against God and caused them to turn their hopes to false gods instead. Even in Jerusalem, home of the temple of God, they had erected a temple to the rival god, Baal. The queen, Athaliah, was a wicked woman who had ascended to the throne when her son Ahaziah had been killed. She did so by killing all the royal offspring – her own grandchildren – so that she would be the only heir left. But little did she know that God had preserved one son, Joash, by having him hidden in the temple, where he was protected for six years by Jehoiada, the high priest.

For six long years, Jehoiada kept the future king of Judah safe, providing him with around-the-clock protection. He knew that if Athaliah ever got wind that Joash was alive, she would have him destroyed. He had to keep him alive long enough so that he could grow old enough to crown him king. So when Joash turned seven,  “Jehoiada brought out Joash, the king’s son, and placed the crown on his head. He presented Joash with a copy of God’s covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and all the people clapped their hands and shouted, ‘Long live the king!'” (2 Kings 11:12 NLT). Jehoiada had endured the wicked reign of Athaliah for six long years, but now it was time to make a change. During that time he must have been grooming this young boy, teaching him the law and telling him about Yahweh, the one true God. He must have told him all the stories about David, the one king of Israel who was a man after God’s own heart. He probably read him the writings of Solomon, the wisest king who had ever lived. He more than likely told him all the stories of God’s deliverance of the people of Israel from captivity, of His miraculous provisions during their wilderness wandering years, and of His provision of the Land of Promise. Behind the scenes, Jehoiada was preparing the next king of Judah to be a king who had a heart for God.

But Jehoiada’s influence didn’t stop there. He had Athaliah executed for her crimes against God and the royal family. “Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people” (2 Kings 11:17 NLT). He called the people back to God. He encouraged them to restore their commitment to God. And they took that commitment so seriously that they immediately tore down the temple of Baal and killed the high priest of Baal. Jehoiada’s godly influence was far-reaching. He made a difference. “So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was peaceful because Athaliah had been killed at the king’s palace” (2 Kings 11:20 NLT). The city was peaceful. The people rejoiced. A godly man had made a powerful impact on the society in which he lived. And he had not done so without risk. Everything he did was risky. But he was willing to do it because it was the right thing to do. Godly people living godly lives will have a godly influence. They will make a difference. What is God asking you to do today? What risk are you willing to take to stand up for God and against wickedness? You could be the difference maker.

Father, I want to make a difference. I want my life to make an impact on the world in which I live. Like Jehoiada, I want to be used by You to prepare the next generation to live for You and serve You. But to do that I am going to have to want to protect them from evil. I am going to have to take a stand for You. Don’t let me become complacent or content with my life the way it is. You have called me to serve You, not me. Show me what You would have me do to make a difference today. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Good, But Not Good Enough.

“Thus, Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship from Israel. 29 He did not, however, destroy the gold calves at Bethel and Dan, the great sin that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.” ­– 2 Kings 10:28-29 NLT

Jehu isn’t exactly a household name, but he stands as a semi-bright spot on the landscape of Israel’s dark history. He was chosen by God to take the throne of Israel and to punish the descendants of Ahab for his years of wickedness and rebellion against God. Jehu was hand-picked by God and anointed by the prophet of God. And he took his new role as king seriously. In fact, he took it so seriously that Elisha warned the prophet who was being sent to anoint him, “Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: I anoint you to be king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run for your life!” (2 Kings 9:3 NLT). Jehu was going to waste no time getting acclimated to his new role. He immediately kills King Joram, the king of Israel, as well as King Ahaziah of Judah, who had made an alliance with the king of Israel. The Jehu began to methodically wipe out every descendant of Ahab he could find. He also killed every priest of Baal as well as all Baal worshipers he could find, as well as 70 of King Ahab’s sons. He cleaned house – Baal’s house that is. He tore down the sacred pillar and wrecked the temple, converting it into a public restroom. We’re told that Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship from Israel.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? He was obedient. He did what God had told him to do. HOWEVER! Yes, the story of Jehu’s exploits contains that awkward and tension-packed word. He didn’t exactly finish what he began. “He did not, however, destroy the gold calves at Bethel and Dan, the great sin that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit” (2 KINGS 9:29 NLT). Why in the world would he be so committed to getting rid of the prophets of Baal, every worshiper of Baal, as well as the temple and idols of Baal, but leave the golden calves in Bethel and Dan that Jeroboam had set up as replacements of Yahweh? It would seem that his decision was based on convenience. Since Baal was tied directly to the reign of Ahab, it made good political sense to disassociate himself from Ahab’s gods. But if he got rid of the golden calves, then the people would have no place to worship; leaving them Jerusalem as the only option. This was unacceptable to Jehu as the new king of Israel. He could not afford the risk of any of his people coming back from Jerusalem ready to reconcile with their southern brothers. There was also more than a possibility that Jehu saw the golden calves as not idols, but simply as representations of Yahweh Himself. When Jeroboam came up with the idea of the golden calves in the first place, he had told the people, “It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt! (1 Kings 12:28 NLT).

While Jehu received more than a passing grade for his removal of all descendants of Ahab and is destruction of all remnants of Baal worship, he failed in one fatal respect. “But Jehu did not obey the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit” (2 Kings 10:31 NLT). Jehu’s reign would last an amazing 28 years – an eternity for a king in those days. But his reign would not be marked by complete obedience. God would never have his whole heart. He was content to give God partial obedience, partial commitment, and partial worship. He would never be a man like David – a man after God’s own heart. Jehu is a powerful reminder of partial obedience and incomplete devotion. Jehu knew what God expected. Nothing less than his best. “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today” (Deuteronomy 6:4-6 NLT).  Wholehearted obedience. Wholehearted commitment. Wholehearted devotion. God wanted all of Jehu, but only got a part of him.

Father, You want my whole heart. But on my own, I am incapable of loving You wholeheartedly. I am incapable of obeying You completely. I am lousy at worshiping You alone. But You have given me a new heart and a new desire, and filled me with Your Spirit, so that I have a new capacity to love You – wholeheartedly. Thank You for making it possible for me to love and follow You wholeheartedly. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Our Behind-the-Scenes God.

“But the Lord did not want to destroy Judah, for he had made a covenant with David and promised that his descendants would continue to rule, shining like a lamp forever.” ­– 2 Kings 8:19 NLT

He is always there, behind the scenes, working in ways that we can’t see. It may appear that God has abandoned us or become too busy elsewhere, but He is always there. His timing is perfect. His knowledge of our needs and circumstances is complete. In writing this chronicle of the kings and prophets of Israel and Judah, the author has a Jewish audience in mind. He is not only giving them a history lesson, but a primer on the character of God. Every story is designed to provide the people of God with an intimate understanding of just who it is they worship and serve. These stories reveal His power and patience, His wrath and redemption, His sovereignty and His faithfulness. The kings of Judah and Israel present a sad portrait of the character of man, full of rebellion, selfishness, unfaithfulness, and sin. Each seems to take the practice of evil to a whole new level of depravity. They lead the people of God away from God. They believe they have become the masters of their own fates. But God reveals over and over again that He is in control. This is His story, not theirs. God has a greater plan that will outlast every one of the kings. He has a purpose behind every circumstance that happens. Even their most willful act of rebellion against God will be used by God to accomplish His will.

The story of the woman from Shunem gives us an understanding of just how gracious and good our God is. Here you have this relatively unimportant woman who had been helped by the prophet Elisha earlier in the story. He had miraculously brought her son back to life. Then Elijah had told her to take her family out of the country because a famine was coming to the land of Israel. She listened to the words of the prophet and did as he instructed her. Seven years later she returned. But her concern was that she would be able to get her land back after having been gone so long. Little did she know that the very moment she was making her way to the king’s palace to make her request, the servant of Elisha was telling the king about her story. “At that very moment, the mother of the boy walked in to make her appeal to the king about her house and land” (2 Kings 8:5 NLT). Not only did she get her land back, but all the value of the crops that had been harvested while she had been away. God took care of her. Her obedience resulted in blessing. This story is here for a reason. It was a reminder to the people of God to obey Him, even when it seemed to make no sense.

This story stands in contrast to that of Jehoram, king of Judah. As was the case with his predecessors, “Jehoram did what was evil in the Lord’s sight” (2 Kings 8:18 NLT). Rather than obey, he rebelled. Rather than trust God, he trusted in himself. He did what was right in his own eyes. He did things his way and eventually lost it all. There would be no blessing from God. But in the midst of his rebellion and rejection of God, we see the faithfulness of God expressed to the people of Israel. While their actions were punishable by God, He remained faithful to the covenant He had made to David. He had made a promise and He was going to keep it. Why? Because His promise came with a provision and a plan. A descendant of David would someday rule who would save His people once and for all. God had a reason for preserving the tribe of Judah, because out of the tribe of Judah would come the Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ. He would become the ultimate King of kings and Lord of lords. He would rule justly and righteously. He would be the faithful King. God would preserve Judah so that He could redeem mankind. Every king and every story in these two books show us that our God is faithful and in full control of history because it is ultimately His story. This is all about Him. He started it and He will finish it. He is working behind the scenes in ways we can’t see, but He is there. We can trust Him. And while we may not like our circumstances, we can rest in the fact that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28 NASB).

Father, this is Your story. Help me to keep the greater context in mind as I look at the text of my life and of the time in which I live. You are working a far greater plan than the one that I can see. But at the same time, in the midst of all that is going on, You care for me. Like the woman of Shumem, You care for and provide for me in ways that are beyond belief. All I have to do is trust You. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

The Blindness of Doubt.

“O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” ­– 2 Kings 7:17 NASB

When we doubt God, it prevents us from seeing what He is doing or getting ready to do. Doubt distorts our vision of reality. It blurs our perspective and causes us to view life with less-than-perfect vision. We become far-sighted and can only see things that are close-up or nearby. But faith is the like corrective lenses for our lack of vision. The writer of Hebrews tells us, “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT). Faith has a way of correcting our perspective and improving our sight. We begin to see things from God’s point of view. Rather than our myopic, limited perspective, we begin to see what God see and realize that He is working in ways that have been unseen to us before. Paul told the Corinthians believers,”So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV).

In these chapters of 2 Kings, we have two different stories of spiritual blindness brought on by doubt and a lack of faith. In the first, Elisha’s servant is suffering from spiritual nearsightedness. He can’t see beyond the immediate problem surrounding him. The king of Aram has sent troops to capture Elisha for having exposed his plot to attack Israel. When Elisha’s servant wakes up one morning he sees them surrounded by enemy troops and cries out, “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?!” All he can see is trouble. His vision of reality is distorted. He is unable to see what is really going on. So Elisha tells him to calm down, to relax. “Don’t be afraid, Those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16 NLT). Really? But that’s not the way this servant saw things. Elisha’s statement couldn’t have seemed more ill-informed or unrealistic. So Elisha prays for him. “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see” (2 Kings 6:17 NLT) and immediately the servant’s eyes are opened and suddenly he can see what he couldn’t see before. The hills around them are filled with horses and chariots of fire – the army of God. His lack of faith had limited his perspective. But Elisha had seen it all along. He had learned to look at life through the lense of faith. He had learned that what was seen was not necessarily an indication of reality. Elisha had learned to fix his eyes on what is unseen. He had learned to look at life through God’s eyes, not his own.

It’s interesting that in the story, while the servant of Elisha had his eyes opened, God blinded the eyes of the enemy. They lost their ability to see and were easily led by Elisha right into the capital of Israel where they were captured by the king. Their inability to see made them vulnerable. They were easily mislead and confused. That is what a lack of faith can do to us. It blinds us to the work of God. It causes us to lose our way. But when our eyes are opened by faith, we are able to see God at work where we didn’t see Him before. We learn to see what is unseen, not just what is right in front of our face. God is always at work. He never rests. He never sleeps. He never runs out of ideas or answers to our problems. Faith allows us to see that God is at work despite our circumstances.

Open my eyes, that I may see

glimpses of truth thou hast for me;

place in my hands the wonderful key

that shall unclasp and set me free.

Silently now I wait for thee,

ready, my God, thy will to see.

Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!

Father, open my eyes. Help me to see what You can see. Give me an eternal perspective. Increase my vision, my ability to see more than what seems to be apparent at first glance. Replace the blindness of doubt with the vision of faith. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

A Perfectly Practical Prophet.

“And sure enough, there was plenty for all and some left over, just as the LORD had promised.” ­– 2 Kings 4:44 NLT

The prophets of the Bible get a bad rap. They’re typically seen as socially awkward, hyper-spiritualists who never have anything good to say, but were always spouting doom and gloom and warning about the coming wrath of God. They weren’t exactly the kind of guys you would invite to a dinner party. They were loners who had the unenviable job of acting as God’s spokesmen to a generation of people who were refusing to live for God. We usually know little about them other than the few times they appear on the scene to dispense bad news. But in the story of Elisha we’re given a different perspective. Sure, we get to see Elisha prophesying the will of God to three powerful kings concerning a pending battle. They found themselves on the verge of battle without water for their men or horses and Elisha predicts that God will provide water for them – without rain. Not only that, God will provide them with victory over their enemies. And it all takes place just as Elisha says.

But then in chapter four we see a different side of Elisha. We see his humanity expressed in simple, practical, everyday ways. Elisha encounters a recently widowed woman who is faced with the loss of all that she has, including her two sons, because of debts she can’t pay. Her sons are about to be sold into slavery and she has no resources to keep it from happening. So she calls out to the prophet of God. And he responds by providing her with a miraculous answer to her problem. From one small vial of oil, she fills every container she can find in the house with oil – enough to sell and pay off all her debts. God used His prophet to minister to one of His own. He met a very real need in a very practical way. The prophet represented the word of the Lord. He spoke for God. As the woman faithfully obeyed the word of the Lord, spoken by the prophet, her needs were met. She was provided for.

The next story is about a prominent woman and her husband who show Elisha hospitality, providing him with a room in which to rest from his travels. As a way of repaying this couple for their kindness, Elisha asks her what he can do for her. She responds that she has all that she needs. But Elisha sees that there is one thing missing. She and her husband have no heir. There is no son to carry on his father’s name. So Elisha tells her that in one year she will bear a son – which she does. But not long after that, the son becomes ill and dies. In faith, she sends for the prophet. When she tells her husband she is going to seek the prophet and he asks her why (not knowing his son is dead), she simply replies, “It’s all right.” She had faith to believe that the prophet of God, as the representative of God, would know what to do and would have a solution to her problem. And he did. Elisha raises the son from the dead. He miraculously brings him back to life and gives him back to his mother. God worked through His prophet to restore life and return joy to this woman and her husband during their greatest time of need.

The next story involves a simple meal eaten during a time of famine. Elisha instructs his servant to prepare a stew for a group of his fellow prophets. Inadvertently, one of the men adds an ingredient to the stew that happens to be poisonous. As the men eat, they realize what has happened and become concerned that they are all going to die because they have eaten the poisonous stew. But Elisha calmly instructs them to throw some meal into the pot and informs them that it is now safe to eat. The word of God through the prophet of God averted a disaster and provided a solution to their problem.

Finally, we read of Elisha miraculously feeding 100 men with nothing more than 20 loaves of bread and some grain. In a scene reminiscent of the feeding of the 5,000 the men eat to their fill and there are leftovers when they are done. The story concludes with the words, “and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord” (2 Kings 4:44 NASB). According to the word of the Lord. That is a theme throughout these two chapters. This is not really about Elisha, but it is about God. He was merely God’s mouthpiece. He represented the word of God. He spoke for God. Today, you and I have the written Word of God. We no longer have prophets revealing new words from God. We have the completed Word of God readily available at all times. It is the revelation of God providing us with instruction, insight, wisdom, direction, and a glimpse into the character of God Himself. When we read it and obey it, God provides through it. God meets our needs through His Word. He does all things “according to” His Word. God still meets us at our point of need. He provides solutions to our problems. He feeds us, clothes us, protects us, provides for us, and goes into battle on behalf of us. His Word is practical for everyday life. It is NOT just doom and gloom, rules and regulations. It is the living, breathing, Word of God that can speak into our lives and circumstances. But like the widow in need who called out to the prophet of God, we must turn to the Word of God in our times of need. Like the woman who lost her son, we must seek the Word for a solution to our problems, AND expect God to answer. Like the men who thought they were poisoned, we must turn to God’s Word for healing from our infirmities – both physical and spiritual.

Father, Your Word is a powerful resource that we tend to overlook and sometimes ignore. Too often we treat it like the prophets were treated. We see it as negative, hard to understand, full of bad news, and not exactly fun to have around. But like Elisha, Your Word is highly practical, useful, and powerful. It is a resource with having and using. Keep me in it. Help me listen to it and live out what it says – every day of my life. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

A Strange Career Choice.

“And when they had come to the other side, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Say what you would have me do for you before I am taken from you.’ And Elisha said, ‘Be pleased to let a special measure of your spirit be on me.'” ­– 2 Kings 2:9 BBE

You’ve probably asked more than a few kids in your life, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And I doubt a single one of them ever responded: “I want to be a prophet!” Even in Elijah’s day, being a prophet wasn’t exactly a popular career path choice. Prophets were anything but popular. As spokesmen for God they had unenviable position of speaking on His behalf and, typically, what they had to say was anything but good news. Like the news Elijah had for Ahaziah. “This is what the LORD says: Why did you send messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will get well? Is there no God in Israel? Now, since you have done this, you will never leave the bed on which you are lying, but you will surely die” (2 Kings 1:16 NLT). So prophets weren’t exactly popular. It could be a very lonely position. As a prophet, you were typically appointed to the position by God Himself. These were men who were usually obscure and unknown, but who quickly gained a reputation for their outspoken nature.

In this story we have a somewhat rare picture of a man who aspired to the role of prophet. He longed for it and even requested that he receive the responsibility. Elisha had been serving alongside Elijah, the prophet of God, ever since Elijah had handpicked him (1 Kings 19:19-20). At that point Elisha was just an ordinary young man plowing in his father’s fields. Then along comes the prophet of God, who throws his mantle or cloak over Elisha. Elijah was simply following orders. God had told him to find Elisha and anoint him as his successor (1 Kings 19:16). It seems that Elijah was still somewhat in the midst of his pity party over the way things had gone with Ahab and Jezebel. Because when it came time to anoint Elisha, all he did was thrown his mantle over him. No introductions. No announcement. No ceremony. But even in spite of the way Elijah handled the situation, Elisha seems to understand. He knows who Elijah is and he willingly leaves his family and all that he has known to follow the prophet of God. At this point, he does not necessarily know he has been anointed as Elijah’s successor. But he follows.

It is interesting that three different times in this story, Elijah seems to give Elisha the chance to bail out on him. On three separate occasions, he tells Elisha that stay where he is while he goes on, but Elisha refuses, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, I will never leave you!” (2 Kings 2:2 NLT). And two different times Elisha is questioned about whether he was aware that Elijah was about to be taken away from him. And on both occasions Elijah makes it clear that he knew what was going to happen. But he stayed with Elijah anyway. He seemed to sense that Elijah was leaving, but that he was going to be the one to take on his role and responsibilities. God has been preparing Elisha for this moment. He had handpicked him to take up Elijah’s mantle – literally. He would be the next prophet of God in Israel, proclaiming the Word of God to the people of God. So when asked by Elijah what he wanted before Elijah was taken up by God, Elisha requested a “double portion” of Elijah’s spirit. He asked from Elijah what any Israelite boy would ask of his father: a double portion of the inheritance. He had effectively become Elijah’s son in the faith. But rather than material possessions, he requested a double portion of what Elijah possessed: spiritual power. He knew he would need it. Elijah’s name means, “God saves,” and he was going to spread the news of God’s willingness to save, but also His requirement of repentance. That message would not be well received. He would need all the power that Elijah possessed and more. The days ahead would be difficult.

The story ends with Elijah’s miraculous departure and a clear indication that Elisha had indeed received the power he had requested. He had become the prophet of God. And it would appear that this was a position Elisha deeply desired. But he knew that he could not do the job without the power of God. His aspiration to be used by God would require the inspiration and power of God. And the thing is true of every one of us as followers of Christ today. We cannot serve God without the power of God. We can’t be used by God without being empowered by God. We can desire to serve God, but we must understand that we can’t do it without God.

Father, You want to use, but first You want to empower us. Keep me dependent on You for the strength I need to do what You are calling me to do. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org